IX. SANCTUS, SANCTUS, SANCTUS 315

138. Turning now to the west wall, and standing with the altar behind us, we have the next three mosaics of the series, thus-

c. He is led into the desert.-The words of the legend are:-

X QVOM ANGELV’ SEDOVXAT S. IOHAN.

I. DESERTUM.

“Quomodo angelus seduxit (?) sanctum Johannem in desertum.”

“How an angel led away St. John into the desert.”*

This is not biblical.¹ “And the child grew and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his showing unto Israel” is all St. Luke (i. 80) says. Here the infant Baptist is being led by an angel, who points onward with one hand, and with the other holds that of the child, who, so far from being “strong in spirit,” looks troubled, and has one hand placed on his heart in evident fear. His other hand, in the grasp of the angel’s, does not in any way hold it, but is held by it; he is literally being led into the desert somewhat against his will. The word sedouxat (?medićval for seduxit) may here well have this

* Parini has “secum duxit,” “had led with him.” [And so Boito, p. 802.]

¹ [It is from the Protevangelium of St. James, which describes how the child’s mother fled with him for fear of Herod, and how angels took him under their care.]

[Version 0.04: March 2008]